My daughter wants to go to this camp, but we can't afford it!?

That's life. If you can't afford, you don't get it. Period.

Tell her the truth, that she simply cannot go because it is out of your budget. Then ask her if there is something else she'd like to this summer.

she's 13. shes got to learn about the real world, and the real world is money..... try giving her different ideas for the summer. buy her a pool pass. take her to an amusement park. etc.

That's sweet that you want to send her and I'm sorry that they don't offer scholarships. It's really hard these days, because money is tight for so many. I would just be honest with her. Speak from your heart. She'll understand. I would also suggest you come up with some activities you can afford and maybe do them together, even if it's just a picnic in the park, a trip to the beach/lake, a movie/drive-in, or grabbing a burger/ice cream together, etc. Looking back, she will appreciate the time spent with you far more than any trip to summer camp.

You need to sit her down and have a real heart to heart. Explain that you truly would love to send her, but you don't have the money to do it. You can't "find" the money somewhere, and this is just not an option right now. Maybe you can look at other camps that do offer scholarships, etc? I think you need to just tell her the truth!

Just explain to her that money is tight. its okay, don't feel bad. see if there's something else she wants to do that cost less. maybe a shopping trip will be fun. you two can even go on your own camping trip or do some of the activities that occur at the camp she wants to go to. she'll soon understand.

That IS alot of money for a summer camp, so don't listen to anyone else. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford whatever they want. I'm sure that your daughter will blow it out of proportion, as most young girls do lol. But the best thing to do is be honest with her. And maybe you can arrange a plan for her to save money to go next year. It's also entirely possible that if she saves up that much money, she won't want to spend it all on a summer camp! It's a great way to introduce her to responsibilty, and if she's raising the money herself, she will probably understand a little more just how much $2000 is, and not be so upset with you. I grew up in an extremely poor household, and yes, it really sucked at the time, but I have no issues about it now and I truly believe it gave me a great work ethic and sense of responsibility. Good luck, and remember, she may say things she doesn't mean when she's upset, don't get down on yourself for not being able to afford the camp. You're not doing anything wrong, you're simply like the rest of us working parents!

It's heart breaking when you have to tell your child you cannot afford something he/she really wants, but it's also part of life. Is there another camp she can go to this summer? Then, next year, you can save up for the other one. I'd call up the camp's office and see if they can help you out financially. Even if their website says differently talking to them may help you out.

What I did in that situation, is I wrote the camp and explained that and asked for financial aid. They usually give it. If not say, we can't do it thois year, but if you save up your allowence, we can help you pay for it next year.